University Teachers Link Tables Ten Proposals for Transparent DUCSU Polls
University Teachers Link (UTL), a platform of teachers from public and private universities, has said that if the upcoming Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and hall union elections can be held in a fair, technology-driven, and secure environment, they could stand as a model for free and fair elections in Bangladesh.
To this end, the organization submitted ten proposals, including the formation of an official expert team comprising specialists from BUET and Dhaka University to ensure impartiality in the use of Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) machines for vote counting. The proposals were handed over on Sunday, September 7, to Returning Officer Professor Dr. Golam Rabbani at the Election Commissioner’s office in the Senate Building. UTL Convener Professor Md. Ataur Rahman Biswas and other members of the group were present at the occasion. The organization said that the proposals would also be submitted to the Chief Returning Officer of the DUCSU election, the Vice-Chancellor, and the Proctor of the university.
In the second paragraph of the proposals, UTL emphasized mandatory audit trials of the OMR machines both in the morning of election day and after vote counting through an official expert team. It was stated: “If observers, agents, and journalists are present during the trial, trust in transparency will increase.” The group also suggested displaying the vote count results on large screens to make the process fully open to the public.
The proposals further stressed the need to reconcile ballot papers with OMR counting in every polling center. It was noted: “Immediate publication of results with the signatures of authorized officials in official documents will reduce uncertainty and rumors.” Special security measures were also urged to maintain peace on campus after the results are announced.
The teachers also called for ensuring the proper functioning of CCTV cameras at campuses and polling stations. They recommended the use of body cameras to record each step of the voting process, which could later serve as evidence in case of complaints.
In addition, the proposals called for the operation of a central helpline/control room starting the night before the election until after the announcement of results to facilitate centralized monitoring and support. UTL argued: “There must be support desks in all polling stations on behalf of the Election Commission so that students or candidates can lodge complaints. A central monitoring system must be set up with adequate phone connections. These numbers should be circulated among all polling and returning officers, so that in any situation they can quickly receive central support and guidance.”
They further suggested complementing phone numbers with WhatsApp/Telegram groups or email-based support systems to enable rapid reporting.
UTL also proposed periodic updates from each polling center to the central control room regarding the progress and situation of voting. Based on the information received, law enforcement agencies or proctorial teams should be able to reach the spot swiftly. According to the proposals, the monitoring cell must include representatives of the Election Commission, senior teachers of the university, observers, and a senior police officer who would remain on duty round the clock. Every complaint or call should be recorded and documented to ensure necessary follow-up action. It was also proposed that voting centers be monitored live through CCTV feeds.
